American Academic observations on Life in Saudi Arabia

From Riyadh, Fahd Matouk

An American academic researcher confirmed that daily life in Saudi Arabia is very different from the perceptions of many Americans.

In this context, Nwi times website has posted a report, translated by TheRiyadhPost, confirming that Susan Duncan, who teaches English at King Abdul-Aziz University in Jeddah, presented "observations by an American woman for everyday life in Saudi Arabia", at a luncheon at the University of Hammond.

Duncan confirmed that Saudi Arabia's coastal city of Jeddah is "Like Las Vegas," and that the location of Jeddah as a coastal city adjacent to Mecca, which attracts annually millions of pilgrims from all over the world, ". This makes Jeddah a global city."

The academic researcher in psychology and linguistics added: "There is a misunderstanding that there are strict rules and there are severe penalties, in Saudi Arabia .. Jeddah, for example, is a very open city to the world."

She explained to the members and guests of the luncheon that "the hijab and niqab are practical clothes. If you do not cover your face, the sand can block your vision and reach the lungs...because of sandstorms, I personally got used to wearing it."

Duncan, the American academic, adds that these clothes make the identity of women not available to all. "Her face and beauty are reserved for the man she is married to ... Yet under the gowns, the Saudis usually wear exactly like us."

She also points out that " Victoria's Secret company sells more lingerie in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia than anywhere else in the world."

The researcher explained that families are the ones who arrange marriage in the Kingdom, where there are no loud objections from males or females about arranged marriages ... Hoping that they will fall in love after marriage.

Duncan said, "There are certainly no celebrations of Valentine's Day in Saudi Arabia, explaining that the desired romantic life must be focused only on marriage."